Pain Is A Virtue
by MidnightStarr
Summary: Pain is supposed to be a virtue,helps us know we're alive.But it's an interesting question,to figure out which is stronger; Pain,the want for life...Or Love? OzumaxMariam
1. Chapter 1

Mariam flicked her indigo fringe to one side of her pale face so she could see the moon shining over head, and the beautiful reflection glistening on the water below. Ozuma walked by her side, slightly unnerved, and deep in thought as the duo came to the river's edge.

"It's beautiful huh?"

"Yeah, just like you- you, your win against Dunga in practice today." The dual haired boy jumbled out in a stuttery voice. Mariam pouted.

"Well, our losses at the tournament certainly weren't beautiful." Her glowing eyes cast downward then, as she pouted further and sat on the sloping grass hill overlooking the river a few feet away from them. Ozuma grumbled. Those losses were so humiliating... So horrible. Ozuma remembered watching Flash Leopard go flying out of the dish, even after a battle at his very best. He was no match, no match at all for Zeo. He cast a downward glance at Mariam who brushed more of her fringe out of her eyes and behind her ear. She too seemed to be thinking the same thing.

Mariam would never forget how her beyblade had been shattered so violently by King and Queen, and how she felt so weak and useless after, and falling to her knees in sheer submission and defeat. The voices in her head had been shouting violent things at her then, but to hear the laughing voices of King and Queen, things couldn't get any worse. Mariam sighed and kept her gaze on the slow moving waters and the silent night around them. Neither child knew just how much worse things would get.

Ozuma cleared his throat, and stood closer, almost behind Mariam on the grass, readying his speech.

"Mariam I have something to say to you. It's been bugging me for quite some time now, and I really need to get how I feel about it off my chest." Mariam turned her body round gracefully. And her eyes widened in horror. Mariam didn't have time to utter a surprised squeak before an all-black clad man pressed a chloroform filled rag over her mouth. The stench was over powering, and the last thing Mariam saw was Ozuma staggering backwards whilst a man pressed a cloth over his mouth also, and with that memory weighing her down, Mariam descended into darkness.

The man in front of Mariam caught Mariam by the waist just as she was about to fall over backward. The other man held Ozuma under his arms, and proceeded to drag him backwards up the hill, and into a waiting van on the road above. The other man, carrying Mariam bridal style with her hair nearly dusting the grass below, eagerly followed.

"I hope the boss likes the new arrivals. I don't think they're from around here."

"That means we might get payed double." Both men chuckled before climbing into the dark van and driving away.


	2. Chapter 2

Ozuma groaned, and stirred uncomfortably, turning on his right side before acknowledging the pain in his head. Throbbing pain. He groaned again, and forced his eyes open. To utter surprise. Ozuma found himself in what seemed like a prison cell. The floor was cold, hard and uncomfortable, and the room had only one small window, but that was enough to light the cell. The walls looked scratched, and rusted. Ozuma thought hard. Concrete couldn't rust... Ozuma didn't have a chance to finish his thoughts before he heard something stir on the other side of the room. Ozuma gasped upon the sight of Mariam shakily trying to get to her feet, but falling to her knees and holding her paining head as the only result. He crawled over slowly.

"Mariam," He said, earning said girl's attention as Mariam turned and faced him, with bloodshot eyes and what Ozuma could've guessed was a pounding headache. Both bladers had a few notable scratches and enough head pain to challenge an Aspirin factory. Ozuma stood shakily to his feet, and helped Mariam up.

"Where are we? I don't like this one bit." She said, looking around at the dreary surroundings. Ozuma nodded his agreement, before walking over and peering through the small window opening in the cast iron door. He stepped back suddenly, pushing Mariam slightly backward as well. "What's happening!?"

"There's someone coming. And I don't like the looks of him." Ozuma watched as a figure wearing a doctor's mask and a black apron over a white and-.. That red wasn't supposed to be on that shirt. Ozuma gulped, and grit his teeth. "Get back." Mariam and Ozuma backed as far as they could into the cell until their backs themselves were scraping against the rough walls.

Two men, not one, slid open the iron gate and looked at Ozuma and Mariam like they were pieces of meat.

"Who are you?!" Ozuma demanded harshly, wincing as pain shot through his skull. Everything he said played three times as loud in his head, and it hurt! But still, Ozuma growled and reached into his pocket for his beyblade and launcher. Which were...

_Gone._ A look of shock crossed Ozuma's features.

"What now?" Mariam said, trading looks between Ozuma and the menacing men in front of them. They were dressed differently then the men who had brought them here. But Mariam awoke from her thoughts when Ozuma howled angrily.

"What have you done with Flash Leopard?!" He shouted. Mariam gasped, and on reflex dug her hand into the contents of her own pocket. Which held nothing. She gulped, then adverted her eyes back to the masked men. Both men looked at eachother strangely, almost evilly... Before they lunged for Mariam and Ozuma. Mariam shrieked and brought her leg up in a swift motion, only to have it caught by one of the men. He twisted it painfully, and Mariam fell to the floor with a crash. She growled, and was about to swing back once more but, the man who had caught her foot, grasped her tightly and painfully by the arms, and began to pull her forward. "Mariam!" Ozuma shouted, trying to see where they were taking his friend while at the same time trying to defend himself.

The man made a quick dive for Ozuma, and sadly enough, the SaintShield didn't get away. Ozuma too was forced out of the room, being painfully forced forward by the specter who held his hands behind his back. They were in the hallway now, and Ozuma managed to turn around slightly to see his attacker. Well, his attacker's name tag at least... It read "Darien". Ozuma growled, and continued to put up a struggle. Until Darien finally had enough, and whipped a glistening syringe out of his pocket, burying it to the hilt in Ozuma's neck. Ozuma could hear Mariam's faint screaming and thrashing from farther down the hall, but now, his vision, along with the pain in his arms, head, and neck, all began to effect his motor skills. If he wasn't being held up, he would've fallen then and there. Darien continued to force Ozuma down the long hallway.

* * *

Mariam was thrown to the floor on her knees painfully, and she found herself in a crude room, built of brick and concrete. The floor looked stained... With blood. She shuddered, and the SaintShield had another look around. The room was windowless, and smelled musty.

Old.

_Dead._

In the middle of the floor stood a solitary chair, and it had what looked to be wrist and ankle binds. The door behind her was locked; with a dead bolt, and it was the only thing in the room that wasn't made of concrete. It was made of cast iron, long rusted over. Mariam couldn't suppress gritting her teeth as her eyes adverted themselves to the peculiar instruments stowed in clear glass display cases strewn across the walls. Knives, guns, whips, chains, more knives...

And many things she didn't recognize. One looked like a scoop of some kind, the kind the common person would use to tumble his salad. But that too looked stained in a red grisly way, and the points were more than sharp. Mariam prayed they were just rusty. Another looked like a shelf of syringes. And Mariam didn't want to know what they were used for. All the instruments were locked behind the case, and out of the girl's reach. Mariam was worried, but did not gasp or cry out for help; For she knew she couldn't show the other person present in the room any signs of weakness. The one who had brought her here, 'Marik' his name tag read, had closed the door on Mariam and left the room the second he threw her to the floor.

The whole room was lit by a single light bulb dangling from the ceiling on a cord of some sort. When Mariam looked up at it, her eyes widened slightly. Much more than was just on the walls, rusty bear traps, axes, blowtorches and even pointed sticks were hanging from the ceiling. Mariam was slowly starting to understand her purpose, but felt the need to ask anyway. Mariam gulped, and hoped her voice didn't show as much nervousness as she felt.

"What are you gonna do to me?" Mariam said, keeping her piercing gaze on the man who emerged from the shadows of a far corner. The man in question was wearing a doctoral medical mask over his mouth, and a long white apron over what looked to be an old white sweater and stained jeans. He just chuckled at Mariam's question, looking her up and down a moment before walking over to the cabinet on the wall. Once there, he pulled on some latex gloves and opened a tool chest of some sort. Mariam saw her opportunity, and struggled to get to her feet. And did they ever put up a fight. It was like her own two legs wouldn't coopperate. They were stiff to move, and Mariam figured it must've been the laziness factor from the drug she'd been given to transport her to this room. But Mariam wouldn't need to get up on her own. At that exact moment, two burly men in black aprons and what looked like the masks executioners in the early 1800's would of worn burst through the door. They walked over to Mariam, their heavy black rubber boots making loud thumps across the floor, and lifted her to her feet by her arms. Which they held tightly while she struggled with what she could to move away from them.

But they held fast. The first man in the white apron turned away from the wall and counter just then, and began to walk back towards them. Mariam's eyes widened at the sight of a shiny metal object.

* * *

Ozuma groaned and rolled onto his back, squinting up at the light shining directly into his jade eyes. Groaning once again, he moved his arm to shield his eyes from the harsh light. Only, his arms wouldn't move. And neither would his legs! Ozuma gasped, and looked down at himself through blurry vision. He was shirtless, and lying on a cold metal table of some sort on a slant. His arms and legs were tied to the table, which put Ozuma in mind of an examination table you'd find in a doctor's office. He grit his teeth, and frantically pulled at the chains holding him hostage. Not to mention the large leather buckle-up strap done tightly across his chest to reduce squirming even farther. Ozuma growled, continuing to pull while his mind flew about turmoil. Just a few minutes ago, Ozuma and Mariam were lying in a dirty, cold 'prison' cell in a hallway that seemed to be deserted. Then the men dressed in black showed up... That's it! Ozuma could remember now, how that man had jabbed a painful needle into his arm and then, nothingness... Until he woke up here. Ozuma growled once more, louder this time.

"Somebody help me!" Ozuma gazed around now at his surroundings, and what he saw frightened him terribly. Chainsaws, baseball bats, power saws, tasers, and even power drills lay around the room, on tables and what not. Ozuma gulped heavily, wishing he could wipe away the sweat that had appeared on his brow. What he saw around him looked like instruments meant to torture, or kill... And in the position he was right now, Ozuma guessed he was the test subject. A loud bang gave Ozuma a jolt as a man dressed in a white apron (dyed nearly red), and wearing a name tag that read 'Krad' appeared from behind, now in front of him. Ozuma gave the stranger the strongest death glare his emerald orbs could muster. "Where am I?" He asked. The man chuckled before walking over to Ozuma's clothes that had been stacked neatly on a table. The man dug his hands into the pockets of Ozuma's shorts. He almost appeared to frown, though Ozuma couldn't tell because of the mask, when his hands came up empty. Krad turned then, and looked Ozuma dead in the eyes. Ozuma's glare did nothing.

"Where are you from, boy?" He said, pulling on a pair of latex gloves. Ozuma looked away for a moment; 'It's best to co-operate. At least until I know what I'm up against here.'

"I'm from here, in Japan. A small village known as Hawthorne to be precise. And it's not boy, it's Ozuma." Krad nodded, and then pulled a small notebook out of the pocket of his apron, and scribbled something down. Ozuma swore he heard '60 000 yen'. He glowered. "You haven't answered my question. I said, 'where am I?'" Krad looked up at Ozuma, who was now shivering because of the coldness of the steel table. He walked around and placed a hand on Ozuma's bare shoulder.

"Hell, Ozuma. You are in hell."


	3. Chapter 3

Mariam's breath caught in her throat as the man whose name tag said 'Bakura' came closer and closer, and it was clear to her now that the shiny object Bakura had in his hand was a knife.

"Who the fuck are you people?!" Mariam said, shifting her eyes from each person. Bakura seemed to grin at this.

"Japanese? Yes?" He asked. Mariam shook her heard warily.

"Maybe, maybe not. Why do you care?" He shrugged an eyebrow.

"Answer me."

"No." Mariam said, evident smirk. It was clear she was getting to him. But her smirk faded then. That look of anger, of pure rage in his eyes. They almost seemed demonic, like he was evil... Mariam didn't have the chance to blink before he took the knife and swiped it across Mariam's upper shoulder. She howled in pain. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!!!" She said, letting out a whimper as she looked at her torn uniform, blood spilling out of the wound.

"When I ask you a question, you answer. Japanese?" Mariam returned her gaze to him, and gulped, before nodding. He nodded back, before taking a notebook out of his pocket and scribbling something down.

"What are you doing?" He looked back down at Mariam then, and spoke something to the men holding her very quickly. The men grabbed Mariam by the hair on top of her head, and pulled her head back sharply. Mariam screamed. She could not see what Bakura was doing, but she felt something cold trace lines on her throat. "Please! Don't kill me!" She said, gritting her teeth, as if waiting for the slash to come. Bakura laughed.

"I'm paying a lot of money for you. You think I'd kill you, just like that?" And he actually pressed the tip, not the blade, but the tip of the knife into her throat, nearly puncturing the pale skin. Bakura could hear Mariam's rapid breathing. He laughed again. 'I love them begging...'

* * *

"YOU SICK FUCK!" Ozuma screamed, as the power drill mutilated his flesh on the back of his right shoulder blade. "I didn't do anything at all to you man, I don't even know you! Please, stop and let me go!" Ozuma gave a pained cry when Krad stopped drilling away, and pulled the stopped tool out of Ozuma's back. It hurt like HELL, but he was thankful none the less- Until he heard Krad's booming laughter. Ozuma watched, huge beads of sweat falling down his scratched face, as Krad walked back over to the table of contents.

"Aren't you going to cry and scream?" Krad paused. Ozuma didn't reply. "Do you value your life, Ozuma?" He asked, setting the blood ridden drill down and wiping his blood stained gloves on his apron. Ozuma didn't know how exactly to answer the question, but he found himself saying yes anyway. Krad laughed again, his menacing laugh. Ozuma hated that laugh; Then again, who wouldn't? "How about... Your knee caps?" Krad said. Ozuma looked at him in confusion, before getting the point. Krad picking up the baseball bat was what gave it away. Ozuma became frantic again, pulling and plucking at the chains holding him in place. His shoulder ached, but at least his head didn't anymore.

"Don't come near me you fuckin psycho!!" Ozuma yelled angrily. But to no avail. Krad was in front of him now, and he had such a wild look in his eye... Krad brought the bat down on Ozuma's left shin, and the bone gave a sickening crack. Ozuma screamed in agony. The pain was literally unbearable.

This_ was_ hell. No doubt about it.

* * *

"Let her go." The men did as they were told, and left the room. Mariam dropped to her knees on the floor again. Her hand immediately flew to the searing pain in her shoulder, and she felt the stickiness of her own blood.

"Please, tell me, what do you want from me?" Mariam said, looking up at Bakura who was at the cabinets again. He swung around suddenly, and marched back over to her with something in his arms.

"Tell me your name." Mariam took a deep breath.

"Answer me first. Then I'll tell you anything you want." His smirk grew wider underneath that mask, but his eyes still showed intense anger. He set what he was carrying on the floor. And his fist connected with Mariam's jaw.

Mariam hit the floor instantly, and coughed once, twice, the third time she spit up blood. One hand was used to lift herself off the hard stone, and the other massaged her jaw. The pain was leaving, but it still did hurt. Mariam didn't see Bakura make a grab for her hair. He did. Mariam screamed in pain once again as he lifted her off the ground and onto her feet, then pushed her painfully toward the chair in the middle of the room. Once she was in the chair, Bakura wasted no time making sure her ankles and hands were locked securely in place. He walked back over to the heap on the floor then, and Mariam gasped at what he was bringing her way. A pair of hedge clippers.

Mariam grit her teeth, and resisted the urge to scream when he bent down behind her. She felt what was coming before it even happened. Bakura locked on tightly to Mariam's ankle, and with one swift snap Mariam screamed so loud there was no doubt the whole world didn't hear. She screamed louder when he did the same to the other. Bakura kept a plain face while he ran his fingers over Mariam's severed ankles.

Mariam could feel tears behind her emerald eyes, that were clouded with pain. She was going to die in here.

_Die._

The word hung in Mariam's mind, and while Bakura walked back over to return the hedge clippers to the shelf, Mariam let her worried mind wander to Ozuma. Was the same thing happening to him? Mariam let out a gasp as disturbing images filled her head. She wouldn't get to tell him how she felt now, or how much she enjoyed his company. She closed her eyes tightly, and tilted her head down, trying to well away the nasty images, well away the pain of her shoulder, ankles, and jaw.

"You still haven't told me your name yet." Bakura said. Mariam looked up. "Tell me, or I'll knock a few teeth out of that pretty jaw of yours'." Mariam glared a bullet hole in his back.

"It's Mariam." She saw him nod, and remove his latex gloves which were soaked with blood. Mariam hoped, prayed that he was going to let her go now, and to her satisfaction, he walked back over to her with a key and unlocked her wrist binds. Mariam let out a painful squeak when she felt his hands close to her ankles, so torn and bloody.

Mariam watched him move.

"Please, let me go."

"You want to go? Is that what you want? I thought you wanted an explanation." Mariam tried to push herself off the chair, and the moment she placed weight on her injured ankles, she crumpled to the floor in pain. Bakura giggled.

"This is an elite hunting society. I take it you know what we hunt. Depending on what heritage our prisoners, we have to pay a sum of money. It may sound irrational, but we pay quite little for Japs. You see, out-of-towners are harder to find once reported missing, and cost a great, great deal. Suburban people are easy to be spotted as missing, and since it is our own responsibility and that of this section's leader, they cost less for torture because of all the trouble we go through keeping your bodies hidden. Now..." Mariam processed all the dangerous information, and watched as he pressed a small red button on the wall. A few seconds later, two men emerged from outside and picked her up harshly under the shoulders again.

"Return her to her cell. But wait: One last question, Mariam."Bakura eyed her weirdly. Mariam shuddered. "Are you a virgin?" Mariam was completely taken aback, and simply refused to answer that one. "I'll take that as a yes. Now, give this to Hitler." Mariam squinted her eyes in confusion.

"Hitler?"

"Our boss. And you shall not speak out of turn." Bakura said. And of course, Mariam received another hefty blow to the jaw. She whimpered in pain as her lip exploded into a fountain of blood. The men holding her accepted the notebook and shoved it into one of the pockets on his black apron. They then proceeded to drag her out of the room. Mariam screamed when they began to move, more blood spurting out of the backs of her ankles. The men smirked at eachother. They drew Mariam to her feet, forcing her to stand on her injury. She wailed in agony. They laughed.

* * *

Ozuma hit the wall of the cell hard, sending a surge of pain through his massacred shoulder, as well as the rest of his body. He began to shiver at the coldness, and quickly pulled his clothes back on. The men who hauled him back had said they didn't want them to freeze to death overnight; To feel the full effects of torturing someone, you need them to be alive.

Ozuma had growled at those words, and prayed that Krad died of a horrible, painful cause. Like he had done to Ozuma. Ozuma stared down at his legs, which were stained red with the likes of his own blood, as well as his right arm with blood from his shoulder. Krad had mentioned something about the society, and how they payed to torture people. And torture they did. Ozuma was still struggling to get what they did to him to sink into his head: Krad had taken a power drill, one that you'd find in a common workshop, and drilled a bloody hole through Ozuma's shoulder! Ozuma could also hear the echoing of his own screams, like nothing you'd ever heard before. And Mariam... Where was Mariam? The SaintShield was positive he had heard Mariam scream. What had they done to her? He didn't want to know...

Ozuma looked up with a start as Mariam came tumbling into the chamber, directly in front of him. Then the door shut and Ozuma cursed. But no time for that. Ozuma struggled to reach forward for Mariam, but bending his knees was awfully painful. He didn't doubt that his kneecaps were shattered; But Ozuma pushed any and all thoughts of his own agony away when Mariam moved to sit next to him, and tried to move her legs. She shuddered in pain.

The boy found the strength to move then, and helped pull Mariam back so they could lean against the wall. Mariam looked up at him, and Ozuma wasn't surprised to still see no signs of tears in her jaded pools. He knew Mariam was tough... But just how tough? Ozuma raised his eyebrow in confusion when Mariam went wide-eyed.

"You're bleeding!" Ozuma swallowed hard.

"Yeah. The fuckin' bastard took a power drill to my back." Mariam covered her mouth in shock before reaching out to lift Ozuma's clingy blood-reddened shirt away from the wound. Ozuma flinched. So did she. Mariam gasped as she saw the damage done. The girl couldn't even imagine the pain that man must have put Ozuma through... And she didn't want to think about it. Her own suffering rung aloud in her head when Ozuma ran a finger along the slice in her shoulder. He quickly apologized, and took Mariam by the shoulders, moving her in front of him. The boy gritted his teeth even harder upon the sight of Mariam's purple jaw. The SaintShield turned Mariam's head to the side gently so he could get a better look. But when he saw Mariam's tattered ankles after Mariam removed her shoes to inspect them, he couldn't hold it in any longer.

Ozuma forced himself up on his injured knees and walked around the cell. Mariam watched him curiously.

"We have to get out of here." He said. Mariam nodded, and using the wall for support, forced herself to her feet. The pain was past intense; But both children could only imagine what pain lay in wait for them if they didn't get outta there.

Ozuma stalked around the cell, running his hands along the walls and that. He glanced around the ceiling, but saw nothing. Both looked for an exit for almost an hour, until they could look no more. Ozuma slid down the wall again, hitting the floor exhaustedly. He examined his knees, now bleeding again. He couldn't tell where one puncture ended and another began. Mariam noticed, however.

Quickly, Mariam released her hair from it's hold, the blue strands falling down her shoulders. Then she pulled off her sweat band (which was surprisingly dry), and began to dab Ozuma's knees, collecting the blood. Ozuma flinched and groaned.

"Stop moving. It'll only hurt worse." Mariam said, finishing to clean the cuts the best she could. Ozuma muttered his thank you. Oh boy, at this rate, he was never going to tell Mariam how he felt. He sighed, and looked over at Mariam. The girl was shivering, and looking away. Ozuma gulped, and let his arm rest around her shoulders, pulling her close while being careful not to apply pressure to her cut. Mariam almost appeared to be in a daze as she felt Ozuma's caring embrace.

"We're going to die in here." She said. Ozuma looked away in thought, then looked back at her. Her oceanic tresses were covering her eyes, so he brushed them away lovingly.

"No. I won't let that happen. Now, I know we need our rest. Come on." And with that, Ozuma lowered both he and Mariam to the floor, trying their best to relax. All the while, the dual haired leader held the mermaid in his arms, both of them keeping eachother warm. A few minutes later, and they were asleep. Hard to believe they were happy.

What Ozuma and Mariam didn't know, was that there was small, blinking camera stored in the ceiling that both of them had overlooked.

* * *

"Give me the reports on those two." One of the black-aproned men handed Hitler the notepad paper from Krad and Bakura. Hitler looked them over carefully. "So, they're both Japanese, just from another town. I trust Misters Krad and Bakura have already put in their payment?" The masked men nodded. "Very good then. Bakura writes that the girl was attractive. And judging by our camera shots, it's true. I believe it is also true that they may be in love or infatuated with eachother. They are very close." Hitler looked up towards the cameras, especially the one with Ozuma and Mariam on it. "Well, if she's attractive, ...Oh, who's next on the list to receive her? Damien? Ok, very good. Perhaps we can kill two birds with one stone. Mental torture for... Uh, Ozuma, was it? And physical torture for... Mariam, yes, that's it. Boys, oh boys... I'm looking forward to tomorrow."

Hitler threw his head back and laughed an evil, sinister laugh.


	4. Chapter 4

**Jemma:** There's a warning guys; Sex is big in this chapter. So heed my words; Don't like? Don't read.

* * *

Mariam cringed, and turned onto her side. The night before had been rough, to say the least. Now what horrors would today bring? So much of Mariam didn't want to know. But as Mariam turned to her other side, she found herself staring at Ozuma's sleeping form.

A small smile graced her features. She wondered if he knew about her 'not so little' infatuation with him. Mariam reached out with an aching arm, and brushed stray hair from Ozuma's bangs out of his eyes, even thought they were closed. Mariam pulled back suddenly, when Ozuma gave a small grunt and actually moved closer. It was only then that Mariam noticed Ozuma's arm resting on her waist. The pale girl felt herself go red, and carefully removed his arm. Also, upon removing his arm was when Mariam took notice of her leader's shoulder. The blood from last night had stained Ozuma's shirt indefinitely, and Mariam shut her eyes tightly, the memories of the night before flooding back to her.

_Mariam didn't have the chance to blink before he took the knife and swiped it across Mariam's upper shoulder. She howled in pain. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!!!" She said, letting out a whimper as she looked at her torn uniform, blood spilling out of the wound._

Then Mariam remembered Bakura's eyes, oh those eyes... So cold, so evil... Just the thought of them made Mariam quiver in fear. She flinched as she reached a hand out to stroke the back of her ankles. Dried blood lingered around the wound. At least it had stopped bleeding and throbbing. None the less, it _did_ hurt. She jumped slightly when Ozuma stirred in his sleep. But Mariam jumped even more when their cell door swung open swiftly.

Ozuma jolted awake, and was quick the feel the pain of the night before. Ozuma squinted, rubbing the residue of a somewhat peaceful sleep out of his eyes. Mariam growled at the men in the usual aprons. Of course, they were smeared red. Ozuma crawled forward on aching, paining knees, and pulled Mariam back to him. Ozuma simply liked the feeling of having her close to him, but of course this was no time to get sentimental.

"Stay the fuck away from us." Ozuma spat, eyeing the black clothed men menacingly. Mariam squeaked when they rushed forward, and she felt herself being pulled away from Ozuma. He fought to keep her back, trying to keep her close to him. "Let her go you bastard!" He yelled. But to no avail. Ozuma and Mariam's obvious weakness of hunger, thirst and injury shined through clearly. One of the men let go of Mariam, and then rushed to behind Ozuma, pulling him farther away from his love. Mariam struggled, thrashing and kicking against the men with no nametags. The girl dug her fingernails into his skin despite the gloves, hearing a disapproved grunt from the man holding her. Mariam resisted the urge to say 'girl power!'.

The emerald eyes that were Ozuma's widened at a needle, the man who was holding Mariam pulled out of his pocket. Mariam gasped, and flinched when the pointy object broke through the skin on her shoulder, just below the knife wound where it was still sore. Ozuma growled, and fought with more force than ever. But the men once again held fast. Who were these guys? Why would they torture people like sick lunatics...? Of course, that's what they were.

"Take your hands off her!" Ozuma screamed, gritting his teeth. Once he was out of this, he was going to kill them. He was going to kill them all. Horribly and painfully. Ozuma almost smirked at the thought of drilling away at their heads with rusty power tools. But Ozuma's gaze softened upon the sight of Mariam falling to her knees instead of continuing to struggle.

"What did you... What did you do to me?..." Mariam muttered. She could feel her legs, heck she could feel everything. But, it was somehow difficult to move. Her limbs wouldn't cooperate. Ozuma growled again, and began to thrash around more fiercely than ever. But of course, he didn't escape the burly man's clutches. Ozuma could hear them laugh as Mariam was dragged out of the cell, Ozuma following.

But Ozuma's drag race stopped at a long metal bar running across the sides off the hallway. He was thrown to the floor in front of it, and before he could scamper away, the worker holding him swiftly handcuffed one of Ozuma's wrists to the bar. Ozuma growled, pulling and yanking on his one cuffed wrist. It was useless of course, he knew. He sighed and turned to look around him. Only to see another man, not dressed like the rest, this one wearing a tag that read 'Damien', force Mariam to the floor and run his hands up the sides of her body. They were only a few feet away. Ozuma stared wide-eyed. Mariam was kicking and scratching. What ever drug they gave to her, she wasn't going to let it bring her down. And Damien was clearly getting ticked off.

Damien sat atop the struggling girl beneath him, and pinned both her arms above her head (with a great deal of trouble, of course) with one hand. His other free hand connected with Mariam's cheek, the opposite side of where she had harbored so many punches from the night before. Mariam whimpered, but wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. She arched her back, in a hopeless attempt at causing Damien to fall off of her. The rough floor scratched her back, and tore the pale skin on the undersides of her arms. Her loose blue hair tangled and splayed out behind her on the cold rock. Damien smirked sexily and backhanded Mariam again, her cheek now a bright red. She whimpered, and gritted her teeth. Mariam almost screamed when she felt Damien's hand rest on her right breast.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER!" Ozuma bellowed, jerking and pulling on the handcuffed bar, desperately trying to get to Mariam. Darien and the men who had brought he and Mariam out to the corridor were insane with laughter. Maniacal laughter. Mariam growled herself, and pulled one hand loose from Damien's grip. She sent her punch reeling into his nose, and a small trickle of blood emerged. Mariam grinned at her work, and while Damien brought a hand up to wipe away the blood, Mariam pulled her other hand free and made a quick bolt for Ozuma. Ozuma grinned at her form quickly approaching despite the massacred ankles. She reached out for him, but was too late. Damien grabbed her by the waist, and swung her around, her frail form colliding with the floor all too harshly. She cried out in pain.'So close', Ozuma thought, 'she was so close!'

Damien would waste no time now, and he immediately brought his hand to Mariam's throat, pressing hard. Mariam gagged, and shut her eyes. Tight. Tighter. Damien loosened his grip ever so slightly, just enough that she could pass air to breathe. But nothing more. It was still labored breathing. He smirked again. Mariam scratched and tore at his hand with all her strength.

"No one lands a hit on me. Bleeding is your job, you fucking filthy whore." He spat. Mariam opened her eyes slightly, and watched, kicking her legs, as Damien's free hand began working it's way up her thigh.

Ozuma watched helpless, fearing the worse. If he pressed any harder, Mariam would surely- He couldn't even bring himself to finish his own sentence. Ozuma sighed in defeat, and sunk to his hands and knees. He could hardly find any strength left in his system. He gazed down at the floor, and he could feel sweat running down his forehead in beads. But at hearing Mariam whimper, he gazed up again.

Damien had succeeded in pulling Mariam's underwear off, and had tossed it aside. Mariam whimpered again when he delved a finger inside of her. Ozuma clenched his teeth, and his fist. He gnawed at his bottom lip till it felt ready to bleed. Damien pushed another finger inside of her. Mariam blinked and tried to take in a big breath of air. It was no use. It pained Ozuma to watch. There was no denying it; He loved her. He wanted to be her first. He wanted to protect her... Damien bent low over Mariam, and pressed his lips against hers, all the while putting more pressure on her throat.

Mariam's mind was in turmoil; She didn't want this! Who in their right mind would want this? His lips were hard and rough against her's, almost like sand paper. It was hard to breathe, and now one of her airways was blocked. As if she couldn't breathe as it was. When she felt him force his tongue inside of her mouth, Mariam could of vomited right then and there. Who knew where those lips could've been... And she felt Damien insert another two fingers inside her. That was pretty much his whole hand, and the broken girl could feel herself being torn from the inside and out. The pain was excruciating... But was nothing compared to what was to come. Damien pulled away from the kiss, and inserted his thumb into her tight womanhood. Mariam couldn't hold it in anymore, and she gave a loud cry of pain. Ozuma cursed loudly, and didn't cease to try and break his chain despite his tiredness.

It truly hurt him to see her like this. But Ozuma almost gave a sigh of relief when Damien let go of the hold he had on Mariam's throat. Mariam took a sharp intake of air, and began to cough violently.

"Yeah, have a breather beautiful, because we're not done yet." Mariam cringed at his words, and flinched in intense pain when Damien removed his hand from her virgin pride. She didn't have much time, however, before the evil one grasped her by the arm again. Meanwhile, one of the bystanders walked back over to Ozuma, and grabbed the young man by his hair, tilting his head forward to gaze at Mariam as Darien unbuckled his belt. Ozuma gasped.

"Leave her alone! Please, God, leave her alone!" Ozuma said, almost feeling tears sting behind his eyes. She looked so strong, and here he was tearing up at her expense. Ozuma wouldn't let himself cry, he had to be strong. He _had_ to be strong. For Mariam. The boy knew the men would not cease until they got what they wanted.

Mariam almost screamed when Damien pulled his length out of his pants. The size scared Mariam. Just her luck... Ozuma looked away sharply. Instead he averted his gaze to the men watching with sick smiles on their faces. They liked their pain, thrived on their misery. One of the men walked toward the struggling duo in the center of the corridor. The other walked out of the room. The SaintShields leader followed the exiting man with his eyes till he could be seen no more.

Damien rubbed his manhood, and made a grab for Mariam's hair. 'Geeze, what is it with these people and grabbing people by the hair on their heads?' Mariam thought, but she couldn't think further on the subject because Damien was pulling her closer to him for a reason.

"On your knees." He said. Mariam refused, and continued to fight for freedom. Damien had a wild, evil look in his eye, but still wore a sinister smirk. "Bring that whip out here now." He said solemnly. Mariam froze; Ozuma gasped, and the man who had left the room walked back in, a large coil in his hands at least seven feet long.

"No! Come on, don't hurt her! Mariam!" Ozuma continued to yell. The man besides Damien towering over Mariam grabbed the female by her shoulders, and yanked her backwards. Mariam fell onto her stomach, and Damien pushed her shirt upwards; And the whip made agonizing contact with her bare back.

Mariam flinched, and let out a whimper. The wound became red in an instant, and little droplets of blood laced around the violent mark.

"Now, are you going to be a good little girl?" Damien said, as he lifted Mariam harshly from the floor and sent her reeling back down in front of him on her knees. Mariam gulped. Damien placed his hand on the back of her head, and thrusted forward. All the while Damien kept pushing her head farther and farther, to the point where Mariam was practically choking. Ozuma knew he shouldn't be watching it, but he couldn't take his eyes off it. This shouldn't be! The moans emitting from that psycho's throat were more than Ozuma could take, and he let out a cry. The men laughed as well as Damien, and he turned his head to look at the now weakened young boy. "Enjoying what you see? I know you long to be in my position. She's your bitch, correct?" Damien smirked, and returned his gaze to the girl pleasuring him below.

Mariam had her eyes sealed tightly. She didn't need Ozuma to see her so weak, so frightened and hurt. Besides, this was beyond embarrassing.

"She doesn't belong to anyone." Ozuma cursed at Damien. But before Damien had the chance to answer, he gave a loud grunt and it was clear to Ozuma what had happened. Mariam pulled away suddenly, and began to cough. Damien laughed.

The taste was awful, and the thought of what she'd just swallowed made her want to vomit for the second time that day. She could remember Ozuma's cries of protest. Mariam stopped coughing for a moment, and brought a hand to her throat. It was sore, and breathing, swallowing and talking hurt. Mariam removed her hand and reached behind her back to the slash the whip had left behind in the small of her back. It stung like a bitch. She glanced up to Damien, and saw he was heading for her again. This time, Mariam knew was the final show.

Ozuma must've known also, because he began shouting her name and reaching for her. But now, he was so far away. Damien had his men hold Mariam by the arms as Damien positioned himself between her legs. He then pulled her skirt up.

"Stop! Please! She's only fifteen!" Ozuma pleaded. "Just-Just take me, do whatever you want to me, just don't hurt her, please!" Ozuma begged again. Damien looked toward Ozuma, and shook his head. With one swift pump, Damien claimed Mariam's virginity. Mariam screamed in agony, clenching her fists and throwing her head back. Ozuma turned away; And no one would see the solitary tear that ran down his cheek.

Damien continued to pound into Mariam roughly, and the girl could feel herself being torn more and more. The sweat rolled off his head in beads, and the arm he gripped Mariam's waist with dug fingers deeply into her side. Mariam clenched every muscle in her body, desperately trying to well the burning, tearing, searing pain away. And like that, it disappeared. Mariam opened her eyes ever so slightly, to see that Damien had stopped and pulled out of her. Even that was painful. The men watched for a signal from Damien, before they began to rearrange Mariam into a different position for her 'master'.

The SaintShield was now on her hands and knees, men holding her wrists firmly so that she stay planted to the ground. Mariam kicked out with her legs, hoping to ensue some damage. Her hope resulted in another whip, directly across her back and the other mark, so that she wore a bleeding

X. Mariam let out a cry, and she felt beads of blood run down her spine and sides. Damien laughed before taking his position behind her. Mariam knew what was to come, she knew it would probably be the worst pain of all. Damien pushed his throbbing member into her from behind, burying himself to the hilt in Mariam's nimble frame. Mariam screamed, and arched her back upwards, unknowingly granting Damien easier entry. He began to move himself, thrusting hard. Damien moaned in sheer pleasure; he loved Mariam's wetness, Ozuma's pained cries. He chewed his bottom lip, and reached forward to cup Mariam's breasts under her shirt. Only a few more, he knew, and he would release for the second time in her today.

And that time was now. Damien screamed in climax, and his seed spilled into her. The men supporting her hands let go then, and Mariam collapsed in a heap on the floor, sweaty, bloody and panting. Ozuma gulped, and reached out.

"Mariam, no...Mariam,!" He stretched his arm further towards her, and Mariam looked up. She saw Ozuma through glazed, broken eyes, and found the strength to reach out a throbbing arm. She couldn't find the strength to move her legs, and Mariam was sure she felt herself bleeding along with the pain between her thighs.

"Well isn't that sweet." Damien said, pulling his pants and boxers up, re-adjusting himself. "Isn't that sweet boys, only fingers' length away?" Damien giggled. Said men laughed. Ozuma and Mariam ignored them, and stretched farther and farther to reach the other... To reach the one they loved most. And Damien would not have it. His smile turned to rage then, at seeing how they were just close enough to touch. He snapped, and stomped over to the duo. And stomp he did. Damien's boot came crashing down, right onto Mariam's hand. She screamed, and... You guessed it. He laughed. Damien forced Mariam to her feet, and pushed her against the wall opposite Ozuma.

"FUCK YOU! LEAVE HER ALONE!" Ozuma yelled, upon nearly having contact with Mariam then losing it. Damien of course, payed no attention and strangled Mariam against the stone.

"This is a place where love doesn't bloom, little lady. And maybe I should let you know, that next time I receive you, you're dead meat. Quite a shame though", Damien licked her cheek, "you were a pretty good fuck." Damien removed his hand, and Mariam fell to the floor in another fit of coughing and gagging.

The two teens backs hit the hard wall a few minutes later. Mariam moved to sit on her knees, adjusting her skirt and top, not even looking in Ozuma's direction. The SaintShields leader was almost happy that she wasn't looking at him. He didn't need to see that hurt and defeat in her eyes. If only he could do something to make it better... And it struck him. Now was the perfect time. Ozuma placed his hands on Mariam's shoulders, feeling the shivering girl twitch under his grasp. He pulled her backward slightly, making her lean into him. He noticed how she flinched in pain; The whip wounds on her back must've been stinging since she was lying against Ozuma's chest.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Ozuma stuttered out. He moved Mariam again, so that she nearly lie in his lap with her head against his chest. Ozuma hugged her close. "I couldn't protect you." But now, Ozuma was done with sentimental confessions. He was just going to come right out and say it. "I love you." Mariam didn't change position in his arms, but Ozuma heard her sigh when he placed a tender kiss at her temple.

Mariam did move, then, placing her arm on Ozuma's forearm and burying her head into his muscled chest. Ozuma's eyes widened at his shirt beginning to get wet, and he heard sobbing. She was crying...

Ozuma gulped, wrapping his arms around her tighter than ever before. Mariam's back ached, and there was a throbbing pain between her legs, and as well as her backside. She felt so cold, so violated. She no longer felt innocent, but she felt dirty and used. Mariam let the tears run freely down her red cheeks until she could cry no more. The violet haired girl looked up and into Ozuma's eyes.

"I love you too." Ozuma smiled slightly at this, and without further ado he pressed his chapped lips to her soft ones. Both sets of eyes became half lidded and heavy with passion. Ozuma licked Mariam's bottom lip, begging for entrance. He would make that disgusting taste and feeling go away. Mariam parted her lips slightly, and Ozuma slipped his tongue into her mouth and began to explore.

When the duo broke apart, Ozuma placed Mariam's head to rest on his chest again, and did his best to care for her wounds. The caring look in Ozuma's eyes was gone; Now only hatred and the hunger for revenge. Tomorrow, they would escape. Tomorrow they would escape this hellish

nightmare.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning came just as rough as the one before it. Saddened, pained and burdened.

Ozuma ran his fingers through Mariam's soft hair, picking apart any tangles in the velvety mass as he hit them. He watched her sleep, and was amazed at how peaceful she looked. Her features were calm, almost delicate, and her breathing came in slow, steady bursts. Unfazed, and in a daze. Ozuma almost smiled. He was sad that he would have to wake her. But if they wanted to escape, he needed her awake.

"Mariam... Mariam wake up." Ozuma urged, rubbing her shoulder tenderly. Mariam shuffled for a second in Ozuma's lap, before he noticed the change in her breathing. "Time to get up."

Mariam sighed, and stretched in contentment. Before she realized her surroundings. Her emerald orbs lost the shine.

"Oh Ozuma I had the most wonderful dream." She mused, staring up at him. He wore a weary smile. That quickly faded.

"I think they'll be coming for us soon." The SaintShields leader said. "We can't lose this time. We can't lose, Mariam. We need to get out of here." He pressed again. Mariam nodded. The wound in her shoulder had seemingly scabbed over. The burning sensation from the day before, well, she'd do the best she could to walk that off. And her ankles? They wouldn't cease hurting, but she'd have to put up with it. Mariam didn't doubt she would lose walking comfortably for the rest of her life... If she got to see the rest of her life. The soft purple on her jaw was still tender, and her gums were sore from the impact. Mariam's back was inflamed, painful, and it ached with every movement she made. The girl gulped, and forced herself to her feet to look out the small window of the door.

Ozuma's shoulder wasn't healed at all; and he found it amusing how he had not bled to death. His kneecaps simply hurt when he bended his knees. There was probably a chipped bone- or more- in there somewhere. All of Ozuma was paining; the boy hadn't slept the whole night either. He had stayed up to create a plan for escape. And what did he come up with? Beat up the guard and make a run for it.

Sad, yes. Stupid, yes. Worth trying?

Yes indeed.

Mariam's worried squeak brought Ozuma back to reality from his pain when he saw her stare wide-eyed out the door.

"They're coming." Ozuma didn't need any more than that to get to his feet. Beckoning Mariam backward, they watched as the door swung open and familiar- but unappreciated- faces piled into the room. Mariam and Ozuma kept their backs pressing against the cold wall, waiting. Just waiting., for the time when the men up ahead would make a move or throw the first punch. That didn't take long.

Ozuma made a mad dodge for the left, missing the clutches of one of the men by inches. Mariam ducked, escaping the grasp of a burly fellow, and aimed a kick like she had the first day; a K-O hit. He fell to the floor with a thud. Ozuma swung with all his might, this time Hitler's worker who suffered the purple jaw. But of course, with men of that size it would take more than that to bring them down. Mariam brought her elbow down hard in the small of a guard's back, a loud growl being her reaction. She smirked at her work, and her fist connected with the back of his head. A satisfying noise of skull hitting concrete filled the room. Ozuma charged his target head on, using all his strength. He may not be a full grown man, but being sixteen is close enough. Ozuma kept pushing, glad at the friction between his shoes and the rough floor below. The man made a grab for Ozuma's throat, which Ozuma easily evaded, and still using one hand to keep pushing, grabbed the torturer's wrist. He turned it painfully. The man drew back slightly in pain, giving Ozuma the chance he needed to dealt one swift uppercut. No doubt the man now had a broken nose as he fell to the floor.

"Let's go!" The victorious boy said as took Mariam's hand. The two teens sprinted out the door and down the hall.

That was when they realized that they weren't the only ones in that terrible place. Screams and cries rang out in every direction;

'Stop!'

'_DON'T KILL ME!_'

'Please!'

Ozuma wanted to drop to his knees, and wish it all away. They didn't have time to go back for all the others; they needed to go, they needed to run- As far away as their injured bodies could carry them. Mariam was ahead of Ozuma, about a few feet. Pain or no pain; She wasn't going down just yet. But suddenly Mariam drew to a stop, and peered into a room with an open door. Ozuma caught up with her.

"What is it?" Mariam jogged into the room, and her eyes brightened. There, on a desk left completely in the open, was Sharkrash and Flash Leopard. Mariam punched the sky and threw Flash Leopard to Ozuma while she herself pocketed Sharkrash. Ozuma smirked. And then the running continued.

Left, right, straight, left, left, right... The hallways seemed to go on forever, all reeking of the sickly stench of decaying flesh. They were starting to get tired now, and Ozuma wondered how they had not been captured again yet, or at least of been chased. Either way, Ozuma wasn't going to dwell. There were rooms lining all of the hallways, most of them with only small windows. Some with none. But the one thing all the rooms had in common was that they were built on a slant so that the blood and waist could simply drain out, under the door, and into the drainage holes in the middle of the hallways. Like the one they were running in now.

Ozuma paused this time, and Mariam stopped to look back. Ozuma stared down at the dark red liquid, slowly seeping out from the crack of a door. Mariam gulped. He looked toward the door, and Ozuma bravely took a few steps toward it. The SaintShields leader pressed his ear to the door to listen for signs of struggle, and when he heard nothing, placed his hand on the door handle. Unlocked.

'They always lock the doors...' Ozuma thought as he entered the room. It was dark, and he could feel Mariam take his arm for comfort as she walked with him into the confinement. It smelled retched; Disgusting. But sure enough, there was no one in the room. At least so he thought. The blood had to come from somewhere didn't it? Ozuma gulped and felt around on the wall, thanking God when he felt a light switch. He shut it on. And Mariam screamed.

Similar to the chair Mariam had been tied to earlier was another girl. Naked. No legs... No arms... No _head._.

Mariam buried her head into the crook of Ozuma's neck, who's eyes widened. He slowly wrapped his arms around her thin frame. Well, both had considerably thinner frames now, but that's a different factor. Ozuma's breath was stuck in his throat.

'That explains the blood...' He was snapped out of his thoughts when Mariam's teary voice broke the silence.

"Ozuma, that's me! I'm going to end up like that!" Mariam's tears once again began to soak his shirt. Ozuma held her tighter, growled and shook his head.

"I won't let anything happen to you." Mariam looked up at him with scared eyes, but didn't have time to speak as Ozuma dragged her across the room. The blood from that poor girl wasn't just draining out from the door, but also to a different exit; There was a sewer opening. Ozuma could have jumped for joy. He dropped to his knees, not minding the 'wet' floor, and began to pull and tug on the drainage gate. Mariam wiped away her tears and dropped too, helping with trying to move the grate. But it was stuck tight with screws. Mariam cursed.

"What now?! It won't budge!" Ozuma looked up in thought, and grabbed for Flash Leopard. It was times like this that Ozuma thanked god he fancied sharp attack rings.

Within seconds, Ozuma had worked away all the screws using Flash Leopard, who gave a glow of pride. Ozuma smirked, and looked down the deep hole. Mariam bit her lip and peered into the abyss hesitantly.

"Ozuma, we don't even know what's down there... It might not be safe..." Her voice was still teary, and it hurt the boy's heart to hear. But he _would_ get them out of here.

"What choice do we have Mariam? If we don't go, ...We'll die here. They'll kill us. We'll suffer." Mariam bit her lip again, almost to the point where it felt ready to bleed. She gulped, and Mariam let her legs dangle inside the opening, before pushing herself from the floor and falling. Ozuma gulped, and listened for sounds. They came two seconds later of a body hitting water. He gulped again.

"Mariam....?" His voice came out worried and weary. He heard coughing and the struggling of limbs in water.

"Ozuma!?" Her slightly shaken voice rang out. He nodded, even though he knew she couldn't hear him.

"Move! I'm coming down next!"

"Okay!" More splashing. And, as Ozuma readied himself to jump, ...Footsteps. He cursed mentally, and lifted the cover of the grate above his head as he dropped. The grate closed, and Ozuma fell with a splash.

Mariam had moved back slightly to give him room to land. She swam towards him again using water vibrations to sense his location. Mariam grasped his shirt and pulled him to a wall and tiny ladder. To her, it looked like they were in an abandoned sewer system. The water, minus the blood and... Well, whatever else they dumped down here, was clean. It hadn't been used in a long time, so they would have to explore the tunnels to navigate a way out. Ozuma coughed slightly, and accepted Mariam's help of dragging him up the ladder to a walking level. He muttered his thanks and shook himself off, wrenching the water from his clothes. It was a dark place, and it didn't have a pleasant smell; but it wasn't as bad as the smell above either.

"Ok... We're gonna run... Run and not look back. Like the wind." Ozuma looked at Mariam with eager emerald eyes. She nodded, and the two set course. They ran as fast as they could, and everything passed in a blur. Including time. Both were tired, and they felt as if they had been running for hours. As if the tunnel was endless... Until light.

Like something out of some cheesy saturday morning cartoon, light began filtering in from the end of the tunnel. More speed. Their feet hit the ground hard as they dashed for freedom, neither bothering to look back...

* * *

The two hurting teens fell through the doors of the city police station, breathing heavily and a total mess. It was mere seconds before numerous officers rushed over to the two and requested their permission for hospital help. They denied it. Ozuma told their tale; gruesome and bothersome as it was, and described to the police where they had been held captive. Again, it was mere seconds before a S. W. A. T team was deported. Mariam and Ozuma decided to stay where they were, and wait for the team to report back with information. While they waited, the police did their best to sum up a physical damage report;

**Ozuma Ritawa**

**1. Deep puncture wound in right shoulder.  
2. Mutilated knee caps.  
3. Numerous scratches and bruises in assorted places.**

They had done Ozuma's first, questioning him and what not. And then to Mariam. She had cried when they asked what Damien did to her. Ozuma held her hand.

**Mariam Carey**

**1. Bruising by blunt force on the jaw.  
2. Severed ankle tendons.  
3. Gash on left shoulder.  
4. Sexual assault.  
5. Strangulation.  
6. Long gashes on back.  
7. Numerous scratches and bruises in assorted places.**

About an hour later, the S. W. A. T team returned. They said they found nothing.

"We checked all outer regions of the city on the north side within a 4 mile radius. No point in checking the west, east and south. Too many bodies of water to set up a place the size of what you're describing." Ozuma looked down in disbelief; This was impossible! How could they not find it?! Hundreds of people are being TORTURED and MURDERED at this very moment!

"WELL YOU DIDN'T LOOK HARD ENOUGH!" Ozuma squeezed Mariam's hand tighter.

"Young lady, I'm very sorry for the incident and I'm willing to send out another search. We'll get back to you. But for now, since you've refused medical help, I suggest the both of you head home and rest." Mariam growled, turned away and got out of her chair. Ozuma followed wearily, still in disbelief. _Something_ was very wrong here... It's unexplainable... How could a building the size of Fort Knox be there one day and gone the next?! He sighed.

Did it matter? They escaped...

"I know it's selfish... But at least we got out of there." Ozuma smiled weakly at Mariam, and brushed some of her violet tresses out of her eyes. She nodded.

"Yes... But... I feel so wrong..." Ozuma looked down, and wrapped his arms around her, into a tight embrace. It was a cool night; None to hot, not too cold; Both, were thankful as they left the police station. And headed home.


	6. Chapter 6

About a half an hour later, Mariam and Ozuma could see the warehouse looming up ahead. Sure, it wasn't a first-class mansion, but compared towhere they had stayed the last few nights, it looked like the White House.

Both teens were in agony, and they were actually regretting the refusal of medical help they had been offered back at the police station. But neither could wait to see the faces of Joseph and Dunga when they strolled through the door alive and well. And to think; They might not be alive...

All the pain and suffering they had endured the past few days had been horrible, and very real. Like they thought; Out of hundreds of people sent to die, _they lived_. Ozuma himself knew it was something the two of them would carry in their hearts for the rest of their lives. In their heads, in their souls, and maybe even on their bodies. Scars would surely be an issue.

So many things were running through Mariam's head that she'd almost forgotten that they were almost home. Within a few steps of the warehouse stairs, and her emerald orbs turned to water and she ran for the shelter; The sanctuary that kept them safe. She could hear Ozuma's jogging gait behind her as her pale hands rested on the steel of the warehouse door. And with a cry of joy, she slid it open.

"Joseph! Dunga! We're home!" There came no reply. Mariam took a few steps into the aboad, and looked around. The crates were everywhere they should be; Everything was in the right place. To Mariam and Ozuma, a dusty old warehouse smelt like Heaven compared to the scent of blood and vile that they too probably stunk of.

"Joseph? Dunga??" She said aloud again, heart heavy with hope for seeing their smiling faces. But once again; No reply. No figures standing on the balcony overhead. Nobody asleep in their beds.

"They must be gone out...." Ozuma said, now standing beside Mariam also. "I bet they're out looking for us."

Mariam shrugged.

"Maybe... Should we look for them?" Ozuma nodded.

"But let's get cleaned up first." Mariam too nodded, and they both headed to their rooms. Even though it was a warehouse, Ozuma and Joseph had been sensible enough to tap the town's water line and hook up 4 showers. Hey; They were gonna be staying there awhile.

* * *

Ozuma stepped into his bathroom and shut the door behind them. He flinched as he attempted to lift the sticky shirt off of his back, and the hole in his shoulder. But he did it, and gave a sigh of relief as he threw the shirt -heavy with blood- to the floor. Not long after were his shorts. Of course he was careful not to knock his knees along the way. Once finished, Ozuma reached a hand in to the taps and turned them, setting the water the right temperature, and stepped in.

* * *

Mariam grit her teeth and flinched as she reached a hand behind her shoulder, and accidentally touched one of the burning whip lashes. The hot water made it sting like something unbearable. She gulped, and shook her head, running her hands through her loose watched in amazement as the water from the showerhead that was running off her body turned a ghastly red as it hit the white porcelain of the shower floor. She sighed, and felt her orbs turning to water again as a few tears ran down her cheeks. Or maybe it was just shower water. But it seemed as though she was crying. Her whole body ached, and she ran her hands over all her injuries, and then took the white bar of soap and gently massaged it into a lather in th palms of her hands. Once finished, she let the cube drop to the floor and ran the soft lather over her arms, her abdomen, and everywhere else that she felt dirty. Mariam sighed again, and the water danced around her pained ankles. Blood ran down the drain of the shower, and Mariam just watched it go; Just like the blood draining out from the torture rooms.

* * *

When both emerged from their rooms, they looked a whole lot better. They even felt a little better; If only a little. Ozuma smiled weakly at her, and took her hand. Mariam smiled weakly too, and kissed his jaw on the bruised side. He smiled warmly this time, and moved her over a little so that he could kiss her soft lips. She obliged, and kissed back, her arms looping around his neck but careful not to lay pressure near his shoulder. He loved the way she smelt after showers; Heck even back at that horrible place he could've said he liked the way she smelt. But now more than ever. Ozuma's arms were in a loving embrace on her waist, also careful not to touch any injuries. Once the kiss broke, both decided that it would be best that they went

looking for their two missing teammates.

"Tyson's dojo?"

"Why would they be there?" She asked him. He shrugged.

"Seems right." She looked up in thought before nodding also, and letting Ozuma lead the way to the World Champion's residence.

Once they got around the corner of the street he lived on, both could already hear the familiar voices. They were worried tones, and they must've been sitting outside on the dojo bridge. Mariam resisted the urge to ogle and say 'awwwwww they missed us' like some love-sick little teenage girl. Wait.

She was a love-sick little teenage girl. She smirked at that thought, and she and Ozuma picked up their pace. Both wore smiles now as they moved into a jog. Dusk had fallen, and street lamps seemed to begin to light the way to their team. Their friends. Light. It showed survival. How Pain Is A Virtue, and just how lucky they were to be alive. Light leading to happiness.

When the darkness made a horrifying, ugly appearance once again.

A black van rolled around the corner. It stopped just behind them, and Mariam and Ozuma turned their heads as they heard the doors sliding open. Mariam got a good look at an all-too-familiar looking man named Bakura. He smirked as he broke into a run after them. Her eyes widened in fear, and she could see Ozuma's mouth move with a 'RUN!' look. But no sound.

Everything went so fast. She heard herself gasp and stop as Krad caught Ozuma by his bad shoulder and threw him to the ground, then punched him in the jaw. And then she felt herself being thrown against the fence wall of the dojo, and a hand against her throat again and a hand working it's way up her thigh. And a finger inserted into her already sore womanhood. Now the sound seemed to be flooding back to her.

"FUCK OFF!" Ozuma refused to be hurt any longer, and threw his weight into Krad, tossing him over Ozuma's head. But of course, no bad guy ever goes down easy. A harsh punch was delivered to al already sore jaw, and Ozuma gasped, and fell to the pavement.

Mariam's eyes widened, and she tore at Bakura's hand with her nails. Once she'd gained just a bit of leveridge, and pulled her neck away and screamed like never before.

And at this time, Kai's eyes shot open from his position at the wall. Joseph and Dunga were already on their feet.

"That's Mariam's scream!" But Kai and Ray were already out the door. The others followed, and what they saw frightened them.

"OZUMA!" Dunga called out. Krad took one look at Dunga, Kai, Joseph, Ray, Max, etc. and knew he didn't have time to spare anymore. In a swift move, he stuck a syringe deep into Ozuma's neck, who gasped in pain. Bakura pulled his finger out of Mariam and stabbed her with a needle too.

"MARIAM!" She could hear Max and Kai calling her name, as well as Joseph's terrified cries. But now once again everything started to fade away. The footsteps drawing nearer seemed to stop, and she felt her form being thrown to the ground -or something like the ground- hard. The van's floor.

The last thing either remembered was slipping, once again, into a vast nothingness.

* * *

Hitler paced his office, and wore a smirk once he'd heard his two escapees had been returned safely. Luckily, the workers were too scared to emit the details of being seen by their friends. Either way...

"Put them in the same cell. Pain, and lots of it. No one leaves my dungeons. Alive."


	7. Chapter 7

**Jemma:** Adultery warning for this one again guys, there's sex and more gore. So, be prepared.

* * *

Ozuma opened his eyes, and a familiar ache pounding inside his skull was a horrid reminder to him of what had happened. The familiar stench of blood was sickening, as were the sickening screams....

All he could do was gulp, and push himself to his knees. Same rough cell floor, that calloused the skin and was cold to the bone. He looked around hesitantly, looking for Mariam. He spotted her in the far corner away from him, lying on her side with her now loose hair splaying out in all directions. Now, a familiar thought graced Ozuma's mind. Even in torture, sadness, and maybe death, ...Mariam still looked beautiful to him. But both teens were a far stretch from beautiful.

Ozuma heaved a low sigh of pain as he began the grieving crawl to Mariam's side. Expecting to find her still unconscious, it was quite a surprise to see that she was awake; And crying. The girl's eyes were bloodshot, Ozuma could tell even in the darkness of their prison.

"..Mariam?.." Ozuma's hushed voice said, scared to talk too loud, for fear that it would signal someone that they were finally awake.

"I never did, Ozuma."

Ozuma tilted his head to the side, the strand of hair hanging down between his eyes fluttering gently.

"Never did what Mariam?"

"See the world.... Or capture Draciel....................................... I don't want my life to end here in this hell.." Her voice was soft, weak and tear-choked. Scared. Ozuma couldn't blame her.... How could she not be? He knew Mariam used to talk about her dreams all the time, and what she was going to do with her life.... He enjoyed listening to her talk. She'd always wanted to go swimming in the bluest of seas, bring home Draciel just to say she could.... He wanted to do those things with her. To watch her, do those things...... But now.... Not now.

...........................Would they ever get to do those things?

The SaintShield leader laid his hand gently on Mariam's shivering shoulder. Her pale skin was darker now, bruised almost everywhere... Not that he could say his wasn't. But, for some strange reason, she mattered so much more to him. Then again, Ozuma wasn't stupid. The reason wasn't strange at all. He loved her. He loved her so much...

Mariam reached back, and laid her hand on his.

"...Remember that time, when Joseph when fishing back home and fell into the river? The whole clan had thought he'd drowned, and given up on finding his body....T hen you and I went home, and he was asleep in his bed, soaking wet? Hah..... I was so mad that day, so upset..... I would've drowned him then if I could've." Her lips curved into a weak smile, as a tear slowly cascaded down her cheek. Ozuma smiled weakly too. But Mariam's smile soon faded. "I'd give anything to see him right now....." She trailed off.

Ozuma nearly bit his lip. Joseph.... Dunga...... Tyson and the others... They'd seen them being taken away, right? Maybe.... Maybe there's still some hope..?

Of course there still was some hope!

_Hope_..... Hope could be false, or true. If they were to die before the others could find them, then it would be false hope. If, they made it out alive, it would be true...

Ozuma prayed it was true. Right now, the pain that was going to be inflicted upon them wasn't even his main was Mariam's safety all together. Ozuma simply didn't know what he would do if Mariam happened to die while they were trapped there... Would he cry?

Possibly.

Would he be sad?

Most definitely.

He hoped he wouldn't cry, though... That kind of emotion just didn't seem to do the proud SaintShield leader just. After growing up to be the courageous, headstrong beyblader he was known to be, emotion had seemed to be a thing of the past for him. So, when he found himself falling more and more in love with his teammate whom he shared much of his life with, it was a bit hard to handle. Especially for him. Then again, after the whole 'Stealing the Bitbeasts is Our Mission' thing, the SaintShields hadn't been through anything big enough that would induce much emotion. Except for Mariam's time of the month.... Well, Ozuma knew very well he couldn't do _anything _to control the way that worked. But, what would he have to control? What would he have to fight against, down here...?

Mariam gave a low sigh, and pushed herself upwards, lifting her upper body away from the floor. Even after the refreshing shower back at their warehouse, just setting one foot back in this place made her feel dirty again. What would they do this time?! Why not just fucking _kill_ them, and get it over with so much quicker?!.................................... But Mariam knew, deep down, that they wouldn't do that. That was their exact opposite aim. They were meant to live as long as possible; As long as they had blood to shed, ...They were useful. The distraught girl slowly turned her head to Ozuma.

"Ozuma?............. Do you think we'll see old friends who have passed, once we're gone too?" She shakily asked him. Ozuma scanned her eyes, hardly believing the question. It seemed so weird a question to ask.... But, maybe for Mariam, she needed this answer. The right answer.

"......No. And yes. Because Mariam, we're _**not **_dying down here! I won't let us!............. But on the day that you do die...." Ozuma reached his hand out, and began to tenderly stroke her tear-stained cheek. "....Everyone will be waiting for you. And, since I can't live without you..... You better wait for me too."

Mariam just looked at him, feeling his soft, bruised hand caressing her cheek where too many times the tears of sadness had made their path. But, for some reason, Ozuma made her feel beautiful... And safe... And hopeful. Perhaps, if they actually did fight through everything they were subjected to, they could make it out.

A small smile crossed her lips. And she turned her head, and kissed his hand.

"I promise you that I'll always wait."

He smiled.

Then the door burst open.

Both startled teens looked toward the door in shock, maybe disbelief, that they were actually going to be put through that kind of hell all over again. Bakura, along with Krad, stepped into the dank cell. Ozuma immediately pulled Mariam into his chest, and wrapped his arms protectively and possessively around her.

"Stay. The hell. Away. From us." He spat, hoping, praying that his death glare, which could right now rival Mr. Hiwatari's himself, would be enough to warn the bastards that he meant business. But honestly; Who, besides Tyson and Kenny, are actually scared of a look?

Bakura just laughed slightly and stepped over, looking down at the two scared children. With a quick move, he grabbed Mariam's arm and pulled with enough force to tear her out of Ozuma's grip.

"MARIAM!" Ozuma screamed, making a mad reach and grabbing for her flailing hand. But to no avail.

"OZUMA!" The terrified girl screamed back, as Bakura brought his other hand to use and entangled it in Mariam's silken locks, and using them to pull her roughly to her feet. Ozuma growled, and forced himself to standing, preparing to run at the struggling duo. But he didn't get far before Krad grabbed his shirt and pulled him backwards, causing Ozuma's injured shoulder to scrape against the rough wall. He cringed and fought back a gasp. Krad smirked at them, and pulled him over to him at the door, making room for Bakura to get out with Mariam. Neither of the teens were going quietly. Mariam kicked, and bit, and screamed, while Ozuma punched, and kicked, and even he sunk as low as to bite the hand of his torturer.

Becoming quite annoyed with their antics, Krad and Bakura decided that they'd better just dump the two in the nearest room and fast, before they went deaf of Mariam's screaming. The room they were looking for was only a few more feet up ahead. Bakura managed to punch in the combination, and as the door swung open, Ozuma and Mariam were pushed inside to their next little 'encounter'.

But with two new guests.

As Ozuma pushed himself up on his elbows and ignored the pounding ache in his gut and back, he looked around the room. It was the same type of room as he had been in before. But, standing at one of the long tables, were unfamiliar faces.

Mariam turned onto her side, and looked up also, squinting to identify the writing on their nametags. One was.... 'Malfoy'.... And the other was.... 'Marik'. Mariam, at that moment, was cursing their damned names straight to hell. Marik turned and looked at the two.

"Mariam, and Ozuma?" He asked, as he polished a rusty-looking knife.

Both knew what awaited them if they didn't answer, so Ozuma and Mariam shakily nodded.

Marik nodded as well, then turned to Malfoy.

"I'll take the girl on this half of the room. Do whatever to the boy on the other." Malfoy nodded, as he prepared a few instruments. Such as, a taser, a sponge, a whip, and a knife. But upon hearing that they would be split up, Ozuma and Mariam's blood ran cold. Seconds didn't even pass before Ozuma took her hand in his and held on with an iron grip. Mariam gulped, and her eyes nearly bulged in terror when she saw Marik loosen his belt.

'Not again....' She thought, 'Please, NOT AGAIN!'

Ozuma growled loudly.

"I WON'T LET YOU FUCKING TOUCH HER!" Malfoy just cocked an eyebrow at him.

"My son, my son, my son." There was a sick tone to his voice. "You should be much more worried about yourself."

Ozuma didn't have time to respond, before Marik grabbed Mariam's arm much like Bakura had earlier, and tried to pull her roughly over to him. But Ozuma held on to her hand so tightly, there was an audible crack as both their joints stretched.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Ozuma yelled, about to reach out with his other hand to grab Mariam's arm so he could hold on to her better. But he didn't get the chance. Malfoy rushed quickly over, and grabbed what he could of Ozuma's hand that was holding Mariam's. With a swift snap, Ozuma felt his thumb and pointer finger shatter.

He gave a loud gasp of pain, and on reflex, let go of Mariam's hand. Mariam gave a yelp as she was hurled to the floor, and watched with frightened eyes as Ozuma held his two broken fingers while being dragged across the floor by Malfoy.

Marik just shook his head.

"Stubborn boy. I hope you'll cooperate." Mariam nearly choked at his words, and watched as Ozuma was dragged to a darker part of the room, seperated by brick and a door archway that had cloudy plastic strips hanging form the ledge of it.

* * *

"What's he going to do to him?!" Mariam said frantically, turning and looking back at Marik with a teary voice. Marik just sighed.

"Perhaps you aren't that into teamwork after all." With that, he leant down and began to tear the shoulders of Mariam's beyblade uniform shirt, trying to pull it from her sweat and dirt-coated flesh. She gave a small scream and tried to push his hands back, and be strong, like she knew Ozuma would be. She would fight back, and, to get her to stop fighting, he would have to kill her.

With a hiss, Mariam grabbed his hand and sank her teeth into his glove-covered hand. Which, despite the glove, sent strong waves of pain through Marik, and he gave a loud cry. But fire soon replaced the pain in his eyes, and grabbing the nearest object off the table, swung with all his might right into Mariam's head.

Her skull gave a sickening crack, and she fell to the side, clutching her head in pain. Marik growled and placed the hammer back on the table before reaching down and grabbing the collar of her shirt, and lifting her upper body off the floor slightly. Mariam whimpered and looked up at him, blood streaming down one side of her face from a busted temple.

"Are. You. Going. To. Behave?" Marik asked, taking heaving, angry breaths between each word. Mariam just sneered at him.

"Fuck you."

This only angered Marik further, but he tried his best to keep a cool composure. He stood up straight and took a deep breath.

"Well then. I heard you caused trouble for Damien too. And what did he do to you for punishment, hm? The whip, wasn't it?" Marik asked as he turned and let his eyes scan the table for the coil of wire that he desired. Mariam went wide-eyed as his hand dropped her back to the floor.

"PLEASE DON'T!" She screamed. But it was too late before Marik's evil hand had been laid on the wire, and he brought the stinging whip down hard across her shoulders and collar bone. Mariam gave a deafening scream, and as Marik pulled the whip back, drops of blood flew from the cursed leash in it's airborne time. Mariam's arms fell limp and she sort of slumped to her side a little, and the blood just began to drip down her chest and through her cleavage, and down her arms and falling to the dark ground, invisible.

"I still don't think you've learned your lesson." Marik's venom-filled voice said. Mariam just closed her eyes tightly, beginning to sob, as he brought down the whip again, this time on her uncovered and bruised legs. Mariam uttered a small whimper and nearly bit through her lip. Ugly red and purple welts appeared on her skin, and blood began to drip from them as well. Marik smirked.

"Now, let's get started." Mariam just lied there, as Marik pulled the shirt from her body and left the crying girl huddled on the concrete in her bra. Her skirt was the next to be removed, nearly torn in the process from Marik's eager and rough hands.

* * *

Ozuma, in the other part of the room, had been listening intently to Mariam's pained screams and was wondering what Marik was doing to her. He just, he wanted it to stop...... He wanted her to be safe.

He gulped.

"Mariam!" He yelled out." Mariam, can you hear me?!"

His cries got no reply, but, Mariam's cries seemed to quiet a little, signalling that she was probably listening. He gulped again, and his voice weakened.

"Mariam....... Just..... Let him do it..... Don't give him a _stupid _reason to hurt you..." Ozuma said, trying to evade the spit of venom on the word 'stupid' but failing. Mariam heard this, and stopped her cries all except for her heavy breathing while Marik's hand began to invade her underwear like Bakura's had earlier. Ozuma continued on.

"Just........ Let him do it. I.. I want you alive when that bell rings." Mariam had to force back a weak smile. Slowly, a hand came to her cheek and wiped the tears away as Marik turned her onto her stomach on the floor and ripped her underwear from her. She gave a small whimper, ...But didn't fight back.

"...I trust you Ozuma...... Don't let me down. I'm waiting.' She thought, as Marik lifted her hips and impaled his erection into her. She gave a small pained yelp, and her dirty fingernails clawed at the ground.

* * *

Ozuma could only listen, as Marik's dirty moans became breathier and heavier. He cringed. The next time he got the chance, he was going to fucking kill him. Kill them all.

* * *

Marik stared down at Mariam's form below him as he rocked her back in forth in time with his thrusts. Despite her injuries so far...She was pretty much, untouched. He just had to change that.

His hand went backward, and began feeling around on the table for something he could use to tear his little patient a new orifice. His hand came to rest on a pair of old-time Victorian pruning shears, that looked similar to oversized scissors big enough to cut through thick branches. He smirked evilly, and placed them on the ground next to him as he grabbed her hips once again and withdrew from her, slamming her down again on her back. Mariam winced as her bare back made contact with the rough surface of the ground, and Marik forcefully entered her again. But her eyes widened something unbelievable when Marik lifted the shears over her chest, and stabbed them down....

Right into the middle of her chest, between her collar bones. Then, when he was sure the one blade wasn't in too deep, he began to tear, and slice with it downwards, leaving a straight, paper-cut wound from her upper chest, to the top of her bellybutton.

Through the whole process, Mariam was silent. Her eyes had been widened the whole process too, and the only sound that she made was a small twitch as he, perhaps, severed a few nerves, and small choking, gagging sounds escaped the etches of her throat. Her mind seemed to be racing, yet, at the same time, remaining still and unmoving. Pain was flooding her system, and it seemed to be making it impossible for her to fall unconscious. The only thing she knew, was just how bad she wanted to die!...........................................................

In minutes, with the bloodied blade lying beside him, Marik released inside of Mariam's body, and pulled out from her. Her eyes were half-lidded now, and her breathing was wretched and struggled. Mariam lay naked, bleeding, on the floor. Still.

The bell rang for day's end, and Marik got up and readjusted himself. He walked away.

* * *

Ozuma began to panic upon not hearing Mariam anymore.

"Mariam?????" He called, "MARIAM?!"

She couldn't reply.


	8. Chapter 8

Bakura walked back into the bloodied room a few minutes later, and shook his head at the cries of the boy through the clouded plastic door hangers, echoing around the room. The large cart he wheeled in was specifically designed to transport bodies to and from the 'business' rooms to the crematorium. The silver of the cart was long turned a gruesome rust red, and former residue of human flesh was lingering in the nut and bolt holes of the foul-smelling mechanism.

The tall gruff man looked around the room, then his eyes fell upon the silhouette of the girl lying in a pool of blood on the cold concrete. He walked toward her, his black rubber boots leaving imprints in the coagulated blood staining the floor. He didn't study her, or what had happened, just carefully lifted her onto the cart, watching intently for any parts that weren't quite adjoined anymore slipping off. Luckily, none did.

The large cart squeaked it's way down the halls, toward the looming charred doors of the crematorium. But, before they were reached, Bakura stopped. He looked down.

* * *

Ozuma gave another horrible wail as his wet body spasmed in tune to Malfoy's taser. Once the jerking and seizing seemed to calm a little, Ozuma could nearly feel himself wretch at the disgusting smell of his own burnt skin. For once the whole night, Ozuma's mind wasn't resting on Mariam's well-being, but his own personal pain as he felt the twitching and jerking continuing.

"You're flopping around like a fish on land." Malfoy laughed, jabbing the taser into Ozuma's left side again. He screamed loudly, and a sharp whiteness blurred his vision until he felt the need to close his eyes. In Ozuma's mind the pain seemed never-ending, as even after the shock itself had left his body, the burning and the sizzling seemed to continue. Ozuma thought his heart was going to pound right out of his chest, or burst into flame, one of the two! His teeth were chattering over the coolness of water. It was a scary feeling, Ozuma thought, how the inside of his body felt like it was burning while the outside felt frosty and numb. The rest of Ozuma's wounds, like those he had obtained earlier made it no easier to withstand the new amount of pain that was being inflicted. He couldn't hear much either, which was the reason he hoped Mariam's screams had stopped. Or was he simply just blocking the sounds out? Oh, how he wanted to block out Malfoy's hideous laughing... But he couldn't.

It just wouldn't go away.

Malfoy smirked at the boy's attempts to regain some control of his spasm-wrecked body. His head was drooping low, and seemed to dart up again every few seconds in reaction to the small streaks of electric current running through his muscles. Malfoy loved the sight. How Ozuma's muscles bulged like horrible varicose veins, right out of his smaller arms. Upon taking a deep breath, the boy's ribs were faintly visible too. For the short time they had escaped, supposedly they hadn't eaten. Malfoy felt his smirk widen. That was enough for the night.

He should really talk to his boss about those two...

* * *

Ozuma's emerald eyes opened, staring into darkness, a few hours later. He let out a heavy groan, wanting his eyes to hurry and adjust to this strange new light. The pain still traveling throughout his nerves was enough to numb some of his wounds from earlier, but still, it _did _hurt.

His two purple fingers had no feeling without an attempt to be moved. But when Ozuma tried to sit up by curling one hand into a fist and pushing, lightning bolts of pain zoomed up his arm and into his brain. He let out another scream, and even felt stinging in his throat for the many times he'd screamed rubbing his vocal chords raw. The boy shakily lifted his arm, and looked at the two discolored digits. He gulped, clear in his mind what to do. Ozuma moved so his back found the 'familiar' cold of his original cell, then lifted his other arm and gently grasped his two fingers. With another gulp, Ozuma tightened his hold on his fingers and gave a quick twist and push, then a pull. He uttered a loud gag and nearly felt tears welling up as the two formerly bent-at-odd-angles fingers were straight and moveable again.

It was another few minutes later before it registered to him that he normally had a cell mate.

".....Mariam?"

Not long after hearing himself say her name, the cold ringing of her screams sounded in his mind.

Ozuma's eyes widened, and scanned the cell.

And lying on the floor about 7 feet from him, there she was.

Her breathing was nearly non-existent; very soft, but yet, there was a raggedness to it. An unhealthy heaving. Mariam was lying on her side, facing away from him. Her blue hair looked darker than normal; He could guess that it was blood. Her clothes were torn, and dirty.

Ozuma could hardly believe his eyes, and slowly made his way over to her.

"..Mariam....?" He gulped for what seemed like the third time, and gently layed his hand on her shoulder. He turned her onto her back. And nearly screamed.

The large gash was a horrible eyesore, and to Ozuma, the scariest thing he had ever seen. The thick fuschia color of the dried blood was spread all across her chest, staining the usual orange of her SaintShield's uniform bra and giving her pale skin a ghostly red look.

He gagged at it, and had to turn his head away, bringing his wrist to under his nose in fear of nearly vomiting. He could take blood and gore. But..... To the girl he loved?

It sickened him. Sickened him horribly. But not enough to give up.

Ozuma grit his teeth and held both sides of Mariam's head, and gave her a light shake.

"Mariam!" He said loudly, "Mariam!! You've _got _to wake up! Please!" She didn't acknowledge him, except a low groan in the pit of her throat. Ozuma could see the small trail of blood leading from the corner of her mouth to her jaw, from the backed up blood floating up her throat. He gulped at it, giving her head a small shake again.

"Mariam! Mariam,_ please_!"

Ozuma nearly cried when her eyes opened.

"Mariam.........." His voice lowered and softened, and he leant farther down over the injured girl. He looked into her familiar beautiful eyes... Now so clouded with hurt and pain. Fear, too.

..Who wouldn't be scared?

Mariam gave a rough swallow, and opened her mouth to release a fazed breath.

"......... O............... Ozuma........" She stuttered out in the most rusty voice Ozuma ever heard. He looked at her sadly, and fought back his tears as he cradled her head in his hands and brushed back an oily strand of hair. He nodded weakly to the saying of his name, and wondered if Mariam smelt the dead flesh and small shaking of his hands against her soft skin.

"Keep talking.......... Please Mariam keep talking, don't stop............ You need to build up your strength......" Secretly, Ozuma pondered over how she was still possibly living. Then it hit him.

This was _Mariam._

She never gave up.

'And she never will,' Ozuma thought, 'Not now, not ever.'

He felt her head gently nod in his hands, and then himself lower his lips to her forehead and kiss her. He felt so useless... What could Ozuma do? His kisses wouldn't stop her pain... Or stop her from dying and he knew it.

And it hurt him.

More than Malfoy's taser ever would.

Ozuma grit his teeth and supported Mariam's limp head with one hand, while moving the other arm down to her nimble waist and trying his best to lift her without causing her much pain. Once her frail body began to move, she squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her teeth, an audible whimper of agony escaping her tight lips.

"I'm sorry................" Ozuma trailed off, continuing to move her. Soon, Ozuma brought his back to the nearest wall again, and supported Mariam's head and back by placing his arm at the juncture between her neck and shoulders. His other hand gently clasped the crease of her bent legs by the knees. Nearly holding her bridal style. Despite what was believed, Ozuma seemed to find she could breathe a little easier when the blood wasn't able to continue climbing up her windpipe and instead, staying in her veins.

Most of it, anyway.

".......I'm so cold..........." She said, her eyes half lidded and her voice not much stronger than before. Ozuma nodded, looking around the room for something he could use to warm her.

_Yeah right_.

In that dank cell, there was nothing. Ozuma looked back at her sadly, shaking his head.

"I'm so sorry Mariam, there's nothing....." Then he thought; Him. His shirt. Ozuma nodded to himself mentally, and released her legs for a moment in which he earned a small flinch. Ozuma fingered a tear in the right side of his shirt arm, and began to pull at it without moving his arm the best he could. There were a few threads snapping, and then, he tore off a large piece of fabric that made up of the rest of his shirt. Only what was left of the sleeve remained on him, and that slipped down when the rest of the neck and body of the uniform was no longer there to support it.

Ozuma draped the fabric over her, covering most of her outside arm and chest, concealing the wound perfectly. He looked sadly at her bare legs and personal area.....

Once again, another though hit him. She was lying more than half naked in his arms and it didn't even phase him. He smiled weakly to himself. He looked at her womanhood and legs in sadness.

He had nothing to cover them.

Ozuma looked back into her half-closed eyes and leant down like earlier, letting his lips brush her temple and forehead while clasping the crease of her slightly bent legs again. Mariam let her eyes close once his warm lips made contact, and released a weak sigh. The pain that coursed through her body was nearly too much to bear, and somewhere, deep down inside, she was wondering just why she was alive too. In the short amount of time her eyes were open, she'd seen the charred skin on Ozuma's sides and arms, and despite her numbness she felt the twitches. Mariam knew she was in pain, but.....

Why did Ozuma's pain seem to be the only thing more important?

She didn't really know.

Only the fact that that was what had been keeping her alive.

Mariam lost her thoughts when the cell door swung open and a man she'd never seen before stepped into the dimly lit room. Ozuma immediately growled, and pulled Mariam tighter against him. Mariam turned her head into Ozuma's chest and refused to look.

"I'm impressed." The man said. "I own this facility and no one usually makes it more than two days. Actually, most die before one."

"You _**own **_it?!" Ozuma could barely contain his screaming. If he wasn't clinging to Mariam for dear life, he would've jumped to his feet and murdered the balding man. But he only chuckled.

"Still a bit of fight in you. I like that." He said. He looked down at his jacket, and pulled out a card with a picture of an arrow and a crossbow. On it, was the name Adam Hitler. "We are an Elite Hunting Society .I'm the owner and proprietar. Do you want to know why, I got into this business?" He folded his hands behind his back and smiled almost kindly at the two.

Ozuma nearly choked. He didn't want to know. Not at all. But, this man had the look that he was going to tell them anyway.

"When I was a young boy and cursed with this name, I got made fun of all the time. Not only that, but hated. It's not my fault I was born to the bloodline of one of the most hated men who ever walked the earth. But, anyway, that only irritated me so much. Perhaps it was the fact that my father was abusive. I shunned him. I didn't like people much. But you two, oh, you two......... I like you a _lot._"

Mariam's blood ran cold at that line. Why, _why_ did she think she knew what he was going to say next?

"I think I want to keep you around. For a long, long time. You, the boy, uh, Ozuma. I like your attitude. You'd make a good trainee. And a slave in this facility. Mariam, my dear sweet girl... You can only guess what you'd be perfect for."

Mariam shuddered when his cold eyes slipped to her slender abused legs and naked vagina. Ozuma growled.

"Never."

Hitler smirked. (AN; Yes, this is a horrible name to use in a story. But to me, he truly was the most demonic, god-forsaken man to ever walk the planet and if I could only go back in time I'd kill the bastard painfully with my bare hands. Sorry if it offends anyone...)

"I think so." With that, he just swung around and walked back out.

Mariam's eyes had closed again.

A tear was rolling down her cheek. Ozuma was just staring straight ahead with an evil look.

"..Ozuma....?" He gulped and turned his head back, looking down at her.

"Yes, Mariam?...."

".._Please kill me.........."_


	9. Chapter 9

Ozuma looked down at her, his emerald eyes widened in a state of shock.

"W-what did you say?....?" He asked, numbly caressing Mariam's pale cheek with his thumb. Mariam didn't want to repeat it.

It hurt to say.

"You know what I said." Her weak voice said, Ozuma watching as her body twitched just a little in a small pain-related spasm .It was followed by a cough, in which Ozuma lifted her back a little, and wiped away the small trickle of blood that dripped from the corner of her mouth. Then he lowered her again. Mariam cringed as the large, bleeding wound under Ozuma's shirt rippled with her movement, and sent streams of pain flooding her system. She just wanted it to be over soon...

"Don't say that Mariam, it's not the time for jokes!" Ozuma said, a serious tone to his hoarse voice. Mariam could tell from the shakiness that what she had said bothered him. It bothered him deeply.

But how could it not?...

The girl just asked her best- ...her Lover, ..To end her pain and suffering with his own two hands. Mariam gulped painfully, swallowing the lump in her throat that had been swelling ever since deciding she wasn't long for this world.

"Ozuma please.... I'm not kidding.... I can't do this anymore." Mariam said sadly, looking up at Ozuma through glazed jade eyes. The brilliant green her orbs used to be had seemed to fade.. Haze away to nothing. Ozuma would never let her soul go too.

"No."

"Ple-"

"No!" Ozuma fought back the urge to scream, as the sounds echoed through these dank halls like something carried in the wind. But his anger was certainly hard to fight off. If it _was _anger... "I need you Mariam! I need you with me! We're going to make it out, I swear! Just PROMISE me you won't let go until then!" He practically yelled at her, watching as her eyes glued onto his that shined in determination.

The Saintshields leader was normally a proud and stoic boy.

One without fear.

Someone who could take a punch and just keep fighting.

A person you could depend on to be strong, when you couldn't be.

............How could any of that be true?

Ozuma scanned Mariam's pale skin with teary eyes, upon rerunning his words in his own head. Here he was, praying to God that the Love of his life not die in his arms. That something, _someone _would come through for them, and save them from this hell.

Because, if they had to stay much longer, ....He'd have to do what Mariam asked of him. Ozuma felt like tearing his own heart out as soon as the thought entered his mind.

'Look at her!' Ozuma's conscious screamed, 'she's suffering! Don't make her live like this!' ...... But what would life be like without her?

"Ozuma!" Mariam's weak, yet harsh voice cut his mental moments. "I _want _to stay with you! Please! PLEASE BELIEVE ME!" She screamed. Ozuma's eyes widened again, as Mariam began a horrible coughing fit, blood, and perhaps even stomach acid making it's way up her throat and out through her pretty mouth. Ozuma shook her lightly, sitting her up and beginning to rub her back.

"You'd stay with me! YOU'D STAY WITH ME IF YOU WERE TELLING THE TRUTH!" He screamed back at her, shaking her again, a little harder than he meant to. Mariam just glanced at him through the tears that clouded her emotions. Pain, a little like a sweet dose of cyanide, was beginning to engulf her windpipe, and from her feet and up, Mariam began to feel very warm. Yet from the head down, she was cold.

She was so cold.

"STAY WITH ME!" Ozuma screamed again, his normally strong voice now torn with sadness. "YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME HERE ALONE! MARIAM!" One of her hands now pressed lightly against his chest. One of his hands clenched her other hand.

Mariam stopped moving. Her coughing suddenly stopped, and her eyes drooped so that they were half-lidded. Ozuma nearly stopped breathing.

"..Mariam?....." No reply. Ozuma began to shake, his eyes fixated on her hand on his chest.

As it slipped from it's grasp.

Her mouth was moving.. Slowly moving, trying to form words. Her chest was moving up and down, trying to form life. Her hand was probably trying to retain blood circulation, as Ozuma's death-tight grip turned her fingers rose pink. He gulped, and he prayed as he moved her to lie on the cold concrete of the floor. He leaned down over her, listening to her heartbeat. Of course, it was there.

Just so faintly.

So,_ so _faintly. She was dying... Fast.

Ozuma looked up at the black ceiling. Where were his friends?! Where were the police?!

It. Just. Couldn't. END LIKE THIS! She promised.... His heart began to scream.

'....Who do you pray to, when you don't believe in God anymore?.........'

* * *

From another room in the cursed building, 2 lights began to flicker. A red one, the symbol of courage, and a green one, the symbol of life.

Two powers, radiating to the heavens and praying for their friend, who couldn't. A powerful leopard, and a mighty shark. Then, the two beams of light flew from their bases and zoomed throughout the halls. To one special room.

Friendship knows no bounds.

* * *

Ozuma looked back down at Mariam, tears falling down his bruised cheeks as his hand let go of hers', and caressed her cool cheek instead. He didn't feel like this was the girl he loved. Mariam was always warm. Warm and strong.

This girl was neither.

He slowly shook his head as he leaned down to the hurt girl, and kissed her cheek. Softly into her ear, he began to whisper.

"..You promised me, Mariam.... You promised that you'd always wait for me. Living or dead... I'm not ready to go yet.. !.... Please.... Please don't leave me here alone...." Tears from his crying eyes fell down onto her cold cheeks, and rolled down the pearl skin. The only thing warm about her now, was the faint warm breathing Ozuma felt against his other cheek.

Mariam struggled within herself, just to be able to look up at him. Just to kiss him. And hold him one more time.

One more time before.....

* * *

"_I GOT IT!" _Kenny screamed, jumping up from his sitting place on the warehouse steps. Tyson, Dunga and Max spent no time running out from inside.

"Got what?!" Dunga asked, breathing heavily with beads of sweat on his brow.

"Their bitbeast readings!! I got activity from SharKrash and Flash Leopard on my Bit-Searcher! (A/N; I have no clue what that little thing Kenny uses in the episode 'Friends And Enemies' is called at all lol, but bit searcher just sounded right to me.) I should be able to lead us to them!"

"Well lead the way Chief!" Tyson whooped, looking across the parking lot as Kai, Ray, Joseph and the others came back with no results from their search. Kenny smiled and nodded, holding the blue gadget in front of him with two little blinking dots, one in red, and one in green, in front of him.

Dunga, Max, Kai, Hilary, Tyson, Ray and Joseph eagerly followed.

* * *

".............Ozu....... Ma............" Mariam said, straining whatever voice she had left. Ozuma lifted his head quickly.

"What?? What Mariam, I'm here!" He said, surprised at how he maintained a soft voice with his eager meaning. Mariam's faded green eyes looked up at him. They had such a soft look.

".....I Lo.........." Mariam coughed again, causing Ozuma to grit his teeth and rub her back.

"What?? You what?" He pressed, bringing his head closer to her's so she didn't have to speak so loud. Mariam tried once again to swallow another pending lump.

"I...... I Love you........" Mariam said, gagging afterward. Ozuma went silent for a moment. He just looked at his girlfriend, lying in his arms.

"I Love you too....." He muttered, "But that better not be how you say goodbye!" When he said that, Ozuma felt the rising volume of his voice. "Please...."

Mariam just looked up at him, then down at herself. The shirt Ozuma had draped against the tear in her chest and stomach was red with her blood.

Just how much blood had she lost.............?

Just how many days had they spent in here...........?

........Just what would happen, if they died...............................?

She didn't want to lose him.

* * *

"You sure this is the place Chief?" Ray asked, looking the large building up and down.

"I think so." Kenny said, looking at the bit searcher once again. "We're in the same radius as the active bitbeasts, so...."

"Enough said!" Tyson grinned. "Let's get in there and get our friends back!" He yelled.

"Oh _yeah!_" Max said, as he and Tyson took off in a jog towards the offensive-looking building. Outside, black cars were parked row upon row. Joseph tilted his head upwards, sniffing. There was a bad smell.

"Tyson, Max,** wait.**" Kai's stern voice said.

He didn't have to say it loud. He just had to say it.

Max and Tyson stopped in their tracks, looked at eachother, and then snuck back over towards the gang.

"Why??" Max asked, looking at Kai confused. "We don't know what's happening to them in there-"

"Exactly." Kai said. "You saw the look of the people who took them away. You really want to just run in there and confront them face to face?"

.....

Tyson and Max just looked at eachother.

"I still think we should've called the police..." Dunga said. Kai shook his head.

"Police are useless. I know from experience." They all sighed. "But." They looked at Kai again. "Ray and Joseph aren't."

"Huh? What do ya mean?" Joseph asked, taking a step closer to him with his hands in his pockets.

"The two of you are stealthy. I know _that _from experience too." Ray nodded.

"I get what you're saying."

"Well fill me in!" Joseph said. "As much as I don't like saying it... I miss my sister." They all looked at him sadly for a moment before Kai spoke up again.

"I think you and Ray should sneak in there first and take a look around to see what we're dealing with. Use an air vent or something." The Russian said, crossing his arms and looking at the malevolent building. Joseph nodded slowly.

"I guess that could work. Well, me and Ray should go try and find a way in. Be back when we can."

Ray nodded and jogged through the trees after Joseph. The rest of the gang squatted down in the bushes. They had to stay hidden. It would be useless to get caught now.

Ray grunted as he gave a hard pull on a grate at the top of the building.

"Need some help?" Joseph asked, taking hold of two bars as well. Together, with a mighty heave and a ho, the grate came flying off and Joseph stumbled backwards with it. They had to use the grate at the top of the building because there was a man, presumably a gaurd, lurking around the front of the building. So, this would have to do.

Ray made a quick grab for Joseph's shirt, pulling the boy back towards the center of the building roof so he wouldn't fall.

But the grate did. It slipped out of Joseph's hand.

They heard something like a small knock against wood, then the sound of something bigger hitting the ground. The boys exchanged looks, and peeked over the side.

The grate had picked the guard down below off in the head when Joseph dropped it, and he was now lying unconscious, or dead, on the ground.

".........Well that was lucky..." Joseph said, as he scurried around to the other side of the building and climbed back down the ladder. Ray watched him go, looked at the hole in the roof, then at the guard and shrugged. He turned and followed Joseph down the ladder.

* * *

Ozuma opened his eyes as a pale green light seemed to flood Mariam's body. He recognized that light anywhere. It was SharKrash! He must've reacted when he knew Mariam was dying....

Ozuma hadn't noticed that his pain had seemed to decrease a little. When he looked at his own hand... He too was glowing. This time red.

'Flash Leopard....' Ozuma thought, '...Thank you.' Then the leader looked back down at Mariam. She... Seemed to be having an easier time breathing.... 'SharKrash must be keeping you alive...' He thought, stroking Mariam's sweat and blood-soaked hair. 'We need to get out of here.'

That was when the door swung open.

".....Ozuma? Mariam?!" Joseph's concerned voice called out.

"...Joseph?" Ozuma heard himself mutter. "Joseph!!" Ozuma had never been more happy to see the little green-haired freak.

Mariam listened faintly to the voices around her. Everything was starting to seem far away. She was still cold... Joseph... She heard his voice! And Ozuma said his name! They must be getting rescued! _Finally!_

At that joyful thought, Mariam's eyes opened faintly just as Ray picked her up.

"What about the workers and the guards???" Ozuma asked, looking around nervously. "If they catch you......" Ozuma didn't even want to finish that sentence.

"They're taken care of." Joseph assured, casting a very frightened look towards his sister. "Now, let's get out of here." Ray nodded, leading the way out of that horrible, nightmarish place.


	10. Chapter 10: Epilogue

**Jemma:** The end.

* * *

It only took minutes to navigate their way through the desolate halls of that torturous place. Ray and Joseph had done their work well, and had made a very good diversion to make sure the guards were out of the way. Kai, Tyson and the others were waiting by the entrance; As Ray and Joseph ran out, Kai and Dunga dropped humongous rocks directly onto the heads of the approaching guards.

Hopefully, none of them were dead. Though Mariam and Ozuma wished just the opposite.

Once the others laid eyes on the two, fear struck their hearts. Mariam's half-nakedness didn't even faze them, as they saw the bloody shirt wrapped tightly around her stomach and heard the battered breathing. Ozuma's shoulder was an awful sight, and as he tried to jog over to them, the spasms in his body from the electric shocks made him look like he had a severe case of turret's syndrome.

"..What....? What happened?!" Hilary said enthusiastically, standing over Mariam in Ray's arms and looking at her scarily.

"No time to explain." Ozuma spat. "Call a fucking ambulance!"

In two seconds flat Max had pulled out his cell phone and made a Nine One One call.

"They're on their way." He said, kneeling down with Ozuma and Ray as Ray gently placed Mariam on the ground. However, she wasn't completely on the ground for long as Ozuma lifted said girl's head gently and placed it in his lap.

They'd just been rescued... Why were there still tears in his eyes...?

"Mariam..." Ozuma whispered, leaning down over the nearly unconscious girl. "Mariam, we're out. We're gonna be okay. Please.. You just have to promise me you won't leave me now..." With that, the SaintShields leader, placed a tender kiss on Mariam's forehead.

Kai and the rest of the SaintShields' rose their eyebrows, a little curious as to just how much they missed. But even in the worst of times, there was a time to ask questions,_ and _a time to be completely silent.

Hilary, Tyson and the others thought this time was now.

"......What happened?" Kai could no longer hold it in.

Ozuma looked up at him.

"We found Hell." Kai cocked his eyebrow again at that, but turned his head to the approaching ambulance over the road. And the cop cars behind it.

* * *

Once both Mariam and Ozuma had been checked into the hospital, the police had finished raiding the Hunting Society. Ozuma had overheard them talking.

The remains of about 800 people were found in there.

Another 50 people were found alive.

Over 20 rich and powerful men and women were removed from the estate as 'staff' and 'customers.' Some of those people, Ozuma had heard about on the news.

They had wives and husbands.  
They had children.  
They were normal people.

It sickened Ozuma. It sickened him deeply. Were their marriages going through problems....? Were their kids not doing good in school and totally causing trouble.....?

DID ANY OF THAT REALLY GIVE THEM AN EXCUSE?!

Ozuma squeezed his eyes shut tighter, than opened them as the last policeman walked out of the room from talking with him. The red and black haired boy reached behind him, and placed a hand on his shoulder. Most of the pain was gone now, with the miracles of modern medicine.

But that wound would never heal.

Physically? Yes. Emotionally?

No.

He would continue carrying the scars. They would never leave.

He looked over at Mariam, slumbering in the bed next to his with an oxygen mask covering her mouth and nose. The doctors said she was in a serious condition. Ozuma himself had been told that several bones were chipped in his knees, and he needed plates and cautery to fix them. The wound on his shoulder had to stay as it was. He was lucky, that it didn't sever a main artery or puncture his spine. There would always be a dent there. And being tasered for a few hours, well, no one could even figure that one out.

_'Your will to live must've been impeccable. The average male would've died after minutes.'_ Ozuma remembered his words.

But Mariam?

Ozuma didn't know what to think or say.

'_She's in a very grave condition. The wounds on her back should heal just fine, but with the torn tendons in her ankles, there's a possibility that she'll be walking with a limp for the rest of her life.'_

But the news about her chest wound were the worst. It was a wonder she was alive right now. When Ozuma and Mariam were first brought into the hospital and bleakly examined, the first diagnosis was that Mariam needed a heart transplant.

But under further examination, there was a small hope that maybe the sickle Marik had used didn't tear the vesicles in her heart too badly. Perhaps her blood would soon scab the vesicle, and then her blood would circulate normally again instead of up her throat and out of the rest of her wounds.

For now, it looked lucky, and that her heart would be okay. But those scars....

She would have such horrible scars.

'_Sometimes, the emotional distress of certain times and opportunities is greater than any physical injury can comprehend. Hopefully, the Love and support of her friends and family will be enough.'_

Ozuma looked at her sadly. A tear rolled down his cheek, before he shakily got out of his bed, and moving the medicine staff with him, he moved over to her's. He reached down, and moved the oxygen mask for a moment.

Long enough to lovingly kiss her lips.

* * *

Ozuma pushed open the doors of the warehouse, and stepped inside.

A smile appeared on his face, and he looked down at Mariam, holding his arms with a weak smile on her's.

"We're finally home." Mariam's smile brightened, and she turned his head, pressing her lips to his. He smiled into the kiss, one of his hands caressing her smooth cheek. Once the kiss was broken, Mariam smiled before turning and walking into her bedroom. Without a limp.

Ozuma looked around and gave a deep sigh, closing his eyes.

They'd been given the greatest gift of all.

_Life._

"Ozuma, you coming?" Mariam asked, peeking out at him from behind the wall of her room. Ozuma smiled.

"Yeah, I'm coming." He walked into her room after her, and gently shut the door behind him.

Mariam just looked up at him, her bright emerald eyes scanning his, as he gently backed her up into the bed, and letting them both fall over with a giggle.

Ozuma looked down at her, letting his finger trail down her temple, and to rest on one of her lips. He smiled as she kissed it. He moved both his hands up, holding her cheeks, and bringing his forehead down to meet her's.

"I Love you."

"I Love You too." She smiled, and didn't stop Ozuma's hand, as he began to gently pull down the shoulder of her shirt. Once that was done, she pulled off his. Then, he pulled down her skirt, as she did his shorts. Next, they lost their underwear.

Ozuma scanned her with his eyes, entranced by the shine of her's. Soon, he let a single finger trail down her chest, along the rind of the scar. Mariam's face dropped a little, and she placed her hand on his, and sat up a little under him.

"Mariam?" He asked, looking at her with concern. She shook her head.

"No. It's ugly." She pouted, looking away from him. Ozuma smiled weakly at her, as he turned her back to face him.

"No. You're beautiful." Mariam gingerly raised a hand, and let it fall onto his smooth cheek. He kissed her pretty mouth again, promising his Love to her.

Soon, she lay down again, and he followed her lead.

Once they'd committed to a relationship over their problems, he kissed her for what seemed like only the first time that night.

"I Love You."

"I Love you. And I need you. And I'm happy I never left you." Both of them smiled, and continued what would still seem to be recovery.

To get back to Life. Together.


End file.
